Welcome to league of remorseless head-hunters

Professional football’s detachment from the real world, already plain to all but the most hard-core fans, became even clearer in the fallout from Kyle Williams’ misplays in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game.

Most of us in the real world probably found it unnerving to hear Giants players Devin Thomas and Jacquian Williams say they targeted Kyle Williams because of his concussion history. Most NFL players probably shrugged at the news; that’s their crazy, win-at-all-costs, exploit-any-vulnerability existence.

“He’s had a lot of concussions,” Thomas told the Newark Star-Ledger, speaking of Kyle Williams, “and we were just like, ‘We gotta put a hit on that guy.’ “

It’s naive to be shocked or accuse the Giants of playing dirty. Tyler Sash’s third-quarter hit on Williams appeared clean, and NFL players long have been known to target opponents with injuries to, say, their knees or shoulders. That’s why specifics of injuries often are shrouded in secrecy.

How foolish of us to think head injuries were somehow exempt.

Even so, it’s chilling to actually hear “concussions” become part of a team’s game plan. Thomas, who recovered both of Williams’ fumbles, spoke of the strategy with striking nonchalance, as if any suggestion head injuries are different would be blithely dismissed (and it probably would).

This is why league officials, finally trying to address the concussion problem in recent years, ultimately have no chance. The game is violent and primitive and occasionally horrifying, and it always will remain that way. The 49ers aren’t above dishing it out – witness Donte Whitner’s vicious hit Jan. 14 on Saints running back Pierre Thomas.

Given the reports about the Giants pinpointing Williams, the New York Times’ “Fifth Down Blog” posed this question Tuesday: “Football is not for the faint-hearted, but do you feel comfortable with a strategy of targeting players with a concussion history?”